3 Red Sox players Yankees fans are grateful weren’t sold at trade deadline

2. JD Martinez

Supposedly (again, per loose rumors), JD Martinez opting into the final year of his contract with the Red Sox “screwed up their free agency plans” in the offseason. Poor billionaires. JD’s $19 million salary broke their back. Pour one out for John Henry.

If that were true, then why would the Red Sox keep him at the deadline when they were falling apart after the All-Star break? He’s a free agent after this season and there’s almost no chance he’s re-signed for his age-35 season and beyond.

According to other deadline rumors, Bloom was seeking a ridiculous return in trade talks with the New York Mets and a deal involving Martinez never came close to fruition. What were they expecting to get? Any solid package that also helped the Sox offload Martinez’s remaining ~$9 million would’ve been a win, especially if it meant adding more prospects to their No. 14-ranked farm system (per MLB.com).

Martinez could’ve certainly fetched a top-10 prospect! Maybe even a top-five if another team was desperate enough. But, per the deadline buzz, Bloom might’ve gotten a bit too greedy and chopped the head off of meaningful talks before they even began.

The five-time All-Star has largely crushed the Yankees throughout his career, so this might be a tough storm to weather for the next two months, but at least Boston’s outlook for 2023 and beyond didn’t get any stronger with him departing. Again, see ya never in the offseason.